Network function subscription management

Abstract

A method for event subscription management in a communications network performed by a Network Function producer (NFp) and a Network Function consumer (NFc). The method comprises establishing a subscription to an event from the NFc to the NFp and transmitting from the NFp to the NFc a notification including an indication to trigger the cancelation of the subscription. In some embodiments, the method may further comprise triggering at the NFc a subscription modification based on the received notification. In some embodiments, the subscription modification triggered at the NFc comprises at least one of cancelling or terminating the subscription with the NFp and removing the subscription context at the NFc. In some embodiments, the subscription modification triggered at the NFc comprises at least one of selecting a different NFp and establishing a new subscription to the different NFp.

1 . A method for event subscription management in a communications network performed by a first Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF), the method comprising:
 the first NWDAF receiving from a Network Function consumer (NFc) a request for establishing a subscription to an event; and   the first NWDAF transmitting to the NFc a notification including an indication to trigger the cancelation of the subscription, wherein   the notification triggers the NFc to establish a new subscription to a second NWDAF.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the notification transmitted from the NWDAF to the NFc is further indicative of the reason of the trigger of the cancelation of the subscription. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reason comprises: the unavailability of the subscription at the first NWDAF, User Equipment mobility, administrative action, NWDAF being decommissioned, lack of user consent for a particular purpose, and/or NWDAF capacity constraints. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the notification transmitted from the first NWDAF to the NFc further comprises:
 an identifier of the event to which the subscription state pertains,   an indication of a target NWDAF or a target set of NWDAF instances that support the subscription to the event, and/or   a plurality of indications of cancelation of subscriptions, each indication pertaining to a different event.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein each indication within the plurality of indications of cancelation of subscriptions comprises a target NWDAF or a target set of NWDAF instances that support the event pertaining to the indication. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the notification transmitted from the first NWDAF to the NFc further comprises an identifier of the subscription. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus for event subscription management in a communications network, the apparatus comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory, the memory containing instructions executable by the processor, wherein the apparatus is operative to perform the method of  claim 1 .   
     
     
         8 . A method for event subscription management in a communications network performed by a Network Function consumer (NFc), the method comprising:
 the NFc transmitting to a first Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF) a subscription request for establishing a subscription to an event; and   the NFc receiving from the NWDAF a notification including an indication to trigger the cancelation of the subscription, wherein   the notification triggers the NFc to establish a new subscription to a second NWDAF.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein
 the notification is an analytics subscription notify message and the event is identified by an analytic ID, and/or   the NFc is a NEF or an AF.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising triggering at the NFc a subscription modification based on the received notification. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the notification received from the first NWDAF further comprises an identifier of the subscription. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the notification received from the first NWDAF is further indicative of the reason of the trigger of the cancelation of the subscription. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the reason comprises at least one of the unavailability of the subscription at the first NWDAF, User Equipment mobility, administrative action, NWDAF being decommissioned, lack of user consent for a particular purpose, and NWDAF capacity constraints. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the notification received from the first NWDAF further comprises: an identifier of the event to which the subscription state pertains, an indication of a target NWDAF or a target set of NWDAF instances that support the subscription to the event, and/or a plurality of indications of cancelation of subscriptions, each indication pertaining to a different event. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the subscription modification triggered at the NFc comprises cancelling or terminating the subscription with the first NWDAF and/or removing the subscription context at the NFc. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the second NWDAF supports the subscription to the event. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the notification received from the first NWDAF comprises a plurality of indications of cancelation of subscriptions, each indication pertaining to a different event. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein
 each indication within the plurality of indications of cancelation of subscriptions comprises a target NWDAF or a target set of NWDAF instances that support the event pertaining to the indication, and   the subscription modification triggered at the NFc comprises: cancelling the subscription to at least one of the different events pertaining to the plurality of indications of cancelation of subscriptions, removing the subscription context of the at least one of the different events, and/or establishing a new subscription to the at least one of the different events to a new NWDAF.   
     
     
         20 . An apparatus for event subscription management in a communications network, the apparatus comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory, the memory containing instructions executable by the processor, wherein the apparatus is operative to perform the method of  claim 8 .